British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Telstar]

I already own BFI's Quay Collection DVD but I love it so much I double dipped on the BD. Anyone seen both yet and care to comment on the upgrade on picture quality?

[TheGoldenGunman]

Is the Quay set region free? Was going to add it to an upcoming order if so. Thanks!

[CrockettandTubbs]

My Quay set shipped from HMV today.

2 discs + loads of features = a snip at (still) £10.99 from HMV

The same Price on Amazon - but you need to spend £20+ there for free delivery. On HMV it's only £10!

Here's a comparison between the US/UK releases:

http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparison....php?fid=34975

That's a big win for BFI

I'll wait for confirmation, but it seems the discs are locked to Region B.

[Fnord Prefect]

Originally Posted by CrockettandTubbs

My Quay set shipped from HMV today.

2 discs + loads of features = a snip at (still) £10.99 from HMV

The same Price on Amazon - but you need to spend £20+ there for free delivery. On HMV it's only £10!

Here's a comparison between the US/UK releases:

http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparison....php?fid=34975

That's a big win for BFI

I'll wait for confirmation, but it seems the discs are locked to Region B.

Thanks for the heads up. At £10:99 it's daft not to upgrade from the DVD. Looking forward to revisiting these over the few days after it's arrival (if HMV dispatch it tomorrow I'll have it by Wednesday)

As there's an equivalent USA edition (though missing 3 shorts found on the BFI set) I think we can take it as read that this will be region B locked.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Fnord Prefect

Thanks for the heads up. At £10:99 it's daft not to upgrade from the DVD. Looking forward to revisiting these over the few days after it's arrival (if HMV dispatch it tomorrow I'll have it by Wednesday)

As there's an equivalent USA edition (though missing 3 shorts found on the BFI set) I think we can take it as read that this will be region B locked.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the BFI set actually have 14 extra shorts compared to the US release? 5 extra on the first disc, and then 9 more on the second disc. And then a 30 minute doc and a 10 minute featurette too...

I guess the US set does have a different booklet though, including an essay from Chris Nolan himself. Do we have any word on whether Michael Brooke's dictionary is even more complete than the US set?

My copy's on its way. I got it from Amazon in the end, and don't really know why - it was dispatched on Sunday and apparently won't be with me 'til Thursday. Should've gone with HMV!

[Fnord Prefect]

Originally Posted by rapta

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the BFI set actually have 14 extra shorts compared to the US release? 5 extra on the first disc, and then 9 more on the second disc. And then a 30 minute doc and a 10 minute featurette too...

I guess the US set does have a different booklet though, including an essay from Chris Nolan himself. Do we have any word on whether Michael Brooke's dictionary is even more complete than the US set?

My copy's on its way. I got it from Amazon in the end, and don't really know why - it was dispatched on Sunday and apparently won't be with me 'til Thursday. Should've gone with HMV!

Didn't compare contents but I do know the new BFI set has 3 films you can't get anywhere else so went with that fact.

[Dougling]

Originally Posted by rapta

My copy's on its way. I got it from Amazon in the end, and don't really know why - it was dispatched on Sunday and apparently won't be with me 'til Thursday. Should've gone with HMV!

Same here, along with my copy of The Burning. It's a shame I have to wait, but I guess I went for the free shipping so I can't really moan. I was just hoping they might come in time for me to give them a watch on the nights that my girlfriend is working late.

[CrockettandTubbs]

Originally Posted by rapta

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the BFI set actually have 14 extra shorts compared to the US release? 5 extra on the first disc, and then 9 more on the second disc. And then a 30 minute doc and a 10 minute featurette too...

I guess the US set does have a different booklet though, including an essay from Chris Nolan himself. Do we have any word on whether Michael Brooke's dictionary is even more complete than the US set?

My copy's on its way. I got it from Amazon in the end, and don't really know why - it was dispatched on Sunday and apparently won't be with me 'til Thursday. Should've gone with HMV!

It does indeed.

All from the BFI's 2nd disc is missing from the US disc (I think) - as well as some extras.

Both releases have the same audio commentaries on select shorts.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by CrockettandTubbs

It does indeed.

All from the BFI's 2nd disc is missing from the US disc (I think) - as well as some extras.

Both releases have the same audio commentaries on select shorts.

Yeh, everything but the Chris Nolan film I think. Essentially the BFI set is even better value, so if someone's Region Free and looking to compare it's obvious the BFI release is the one to get!

Originally Posted by Dougling

Same here, along with my copy of The Burning. It's a shame I have to wait, but I guess I went for the free shipping so I can't really moan. I was just hoping they might come in time for me to give them a watch on the nights that my girlfriend is working late.

Now hoping they haven't packaged it badly 'cause if it's damaged I'll have to sort out a return.

Meanwhile, here's a clip to tide us by:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nW3dW4yMLfE

[Ben_C]

HMV continue to be awesome. Ordered this Quay set 6-ish on Friday, turned up yesterday. Total blind-buy, but seemed intriguing, plus at 10.99 who could refuse?
Probably wont get a chance to watch it for ages though, as the to-watch pile is bulging as it is.

[CrockettandTubbs]

Originally Posted by Ben_C

HMV continue to be awesome. Ordered this Quay set 6-ish on Friday, turned up yesterday. Total blind-buy, but seemed intriguing, plus at 10.99 who could refuse?
Probably wont get a chance to watch it for ages though, as the to-watch pile is bulging as it is.

What I'm going to do - and what the US review on here suggests - is to watch a couple at a time, put it back on the shelf and return to it later on.

"The Collected Short Films are a set to be taken down from the shelf every so often, sampled briefly, and then returned to a safe place until the viewer is ready for more."

[Smithee]

Does anyone know something about the Wages of Fear-bluray that is supposed to be released at the 24th? I preordered it and I'm pretty excited about it but there's not even the cover art at amazon and it's only two weeks to the release date.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Smithee

Does anyone know something about the Wages of Fear-bluray that is supposed to be released at the 24th? I preordered it and I'm pretty excited about it but there's not even the cover art at amazon and it's only two weeks to the release date.

Posted about this a while back. The BFI guy I contacted implied it'll most likely be delayed into 2017 as they ended up deciding to wait on the most recent scan of it soon after the previous year-long delay. Obviously this is to make sure their release doesn't immediately become out of date when another label releases the new scan.

They're definitely still releasing it, but the delay is somewhat out of their hands - unlike Eyes Without a Face where they were just struggling trying to secure certain extras, this one will be the entire feature itself (not unlike Artificial Eye's delayed release of Malle's Lift to the Scaffold, which we still haven't got, nor Bresson's Au Hasard Balthazar).

All I can say is be patient, and we'll get it in the end - I've still got an Amazon pre-order locked in at a very low price (annoyingly I used a promotional code to get it, along with MoC's Seconds), so will eventually get it for about a fiver. Whether that's next year or 2018, we'll have to wait and see!

[Smithee]

Thank you, rapta. I'll happily wait if it means that the result will be the best release possible concerning the picture quality. So let's hope for next year.

[the blob]

A blast from the past...

The long-forgotten Wages of Fear is supposed to become a reality soon and one of the world' longest preorders is supposed to be over on 24th Oct at Amazon. HMV though has it listed for Nov 21st... anyone heard even the sniff of a mention about the title recently?

EDIT: Ha! Didn't get to see the subject was already up for debate a few mins ago! So basically neither are correct!

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Smithee

Thank you, rapta. I'll happily wait if it means that the result will be the best release possible concerning the picture quality. So let's hope for next year.

Not just PQ/AQ either, it sounds like they want to deliver the best package possible. So I reckon the extras will be good too, and probably at least on a par with the Criterion release. I was hugely pleased with Eyes Without a Face after the extensive delays (and Rashomon too after the delay to that one) so I'm confident they will do the same here.

Oh, whilst we're on the subject of BFI, apparently their Head of DVD - Sam Dunn - is leaving to become Managing Director of Hollywood Classics. Glad to hear the latter will still continue to exist, but wonder what that means for BFI, especially things like Flipside. I'm sure someone else from the same team will take over, but I wonder if selections may start to change a little?

[AlexIlDottore]

Originally Posted by rapta

Posted about this a while back. The BFI guy I contacted implied it'll most likely be delayed into 2017 as they ended up deciding to wait on the most recent scan of it soon after the previous year-long delay. Obviously this is to make sure their release doesn't immediately become out of date when another label releases the new scan.

They're definitely still releasing it, but the delay is somewhat out of their hands - unlike Eyes Without a Face where they were just struggling trying to secure certain extras, this one will be the entire feature itself (not unlike Artificial Eye's delayed release of Malle's Lift to the Scaffold, which we still haven't got, nor Bresson's Au Hasard Balthazar).

All I can say is be patient, and we'll get it in the end - I've still got an Amazon pre-order locked in at a very low price (annoyingly I used a promotional code to get it, along with MoC's Seconds), so will eventually get it for about a fiver. Whether that's next year or 2018, we'll have to wait and see!

Thanks for this info. Rapta. I didn't know that there is a new scan for this masterpiece. I've just ordered this, and will patiently maintain my order. If I need to watch this classic in the meantime, I'll give my Criterion disc a spin.

[lzx]

Beaver reviews Odds Against Tomorrow: very impressive, especially the extras.

[tenia]

Originally Posted by rapta

Posted about this a while back. The BFI guy I contacted implied it'll most likely be delayed into 2017 as they ended up deciding to wait on the most recent scan of it soon after the previous year-long delay. Obviously this is to make sure their release doesn't immediately become out of date when another label releases the new scan.

They're definitely still releasing it, but the delay is somewhat out of their hands

They're waiting for TF1 on that one. TF1's 2nd huge retrospective project after Almodovar is Clouzot, and they're getting lots of his movies to be restored in France, including Wages of Fear. I think they expected this one to be done earlier, but the CNC funds for restoration were only allocated this summer. Though the funds can be attributed restrospectively, it might be indicative that the project is only starting now, explaining why the BFI is left waiting for the restoration to be available.

[Dan8700]

Originally Posted by lzx

Beaver reviews Odds Against Tomorrow: very impressive, especially the extras.

From the caps, it's definitely a 4k resto. And one of the best I can recall. Gee, I want it now!!